Functional counterweight system for a track laying tractor

ABSTRACT

A functional counterweight system is provided for a track laying tractor and includes first counterweights secured respectively to the outer faces of the track drive sprockets and a second counterweight secured to the underside of the tractor transmission housing between the final drive housings. The first counterweights serve functionally as guards for the drive sprockets and the second counterweight serves functionally as a drawbar and as a bottom guard for the transmission housing.

0 United States Patent 1 [111 3,763,946 Termont Oct. 9, 1973 [54] FUNCTIONAL COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM 2,988,401 6/1961 Matz 301/4] W A LAYING TRACTOR 56332 53 32323 5471? 5331385 c ams [75] Inventor: Charles George Termont, Dubuque,

Iowa Primary Examiner-Richard J. Johnson AS51811: Deere P m Att0rneyH. Vincent Harsha et al. [22] Filed: Apr. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 246,208 57 ABSTRACT 62 F 1: r g zg s r 1970 P A functional counterweight system is provided for a l 1 track laying tractor and includes first counterweights secured respectively to the outer faces of the track drive sprockets and a second counterweight secured to the underside of the tractor transmission housing 58 d 301/41 180/9 2 between the final drive housings. The first counterl e o are 180/9 weights serve functionally as guards for the drive sprockets and the second counterweight serves functionally as a drawbar and as a bottom guard for the [56] References Cited transmission housing.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,516 1/1930 Whitacre 18019.62 X 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures 72 2a :0 44 I 44 H iqis i-- D i e 9 5 I l i t 34 2B \M 2 3/ I; \M m 20 PATENTEBUBI ems sum 20F 2 FIG. 2:

I'lll'l'llllllllll llunl'l'llll 33 FIG. 3 43 FUNCTIONAL COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM FORA TRACK LAYING TRACTOR CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a division of application Ser. No. 18,562, filed Mar. 11, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,680,651.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a counterweight system for a track laying tractor and more particularly relates to a counterweight system which is mounted on the tractor in normally unused space and which serves functionally as a drawbar and as guards for the transmission housing and track drive sprockets. Track laying tractors are often used with attachment combinations which include rear-attached equipment, such as rippers or back-hoes, and front-attached equipment, such as loaders or bulldozers. When these combinations are used, the rear-mounted equipment serves as counterweight or ballast for the front-mounted equipment, and there is usually no need for additional ballast. However, when only front-attached equipment is used, it is often necessary to add ballast to the rear of the tractor. Heretofore, ballast added to the rear of the tractor has been placed so as to interfere with the subsequent mounting of rear-attached equipment, thus necessitating the removal of the ballast resulting in costly downtime.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a novel counterweight system for a track laying tractor and more particularly, there is provided a system which functions other than just as deadweight.

A further object is to provide a counterweight system which is mounted in normally unused space on thetractor and which does not interfere with the mounting or operation of frontor rear-attached equipment.

A more specific object is to providea counterweight system that functions as a drawbar and as guards for the transmission housing and track drive sprockets.

These and other objects will become apparent from the ensuing description and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial rear elevational view of a track laying tractor showing the counterweight system of the present invention installed and parts being shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the central counterweight shown in FIG. 1, with the tractor chassis being shown in broken lines.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the counterweight shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the rear end of a track laying tractor indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10. The tractor has a chassis 11 including a centrally disposed transmission housing 12 having downwardly extending final drive housings 14, at its opposite sides, in which are located transversely extendingdrive shafts (not shown). As viewed in FIG. 1, the undersurface of the housing 12 and the opposed inner surfaces of the housings I4 cooperate to define a space l5having a generally inverted U-shape.

Inasmuch as the left and right sides of the tractor 10 are identical, only the right side, as viewed from the rear, is illustrated and described. The right drive shaft terminates in a hub 16 to which a track drive spocket 18 is secured by means of a plurality of screws 20. The sprocket l8 drivingly engages track link pins 22 of an endless track 24. The screws 20 additionally extend through apertures in a generally circular counterweight 26 which is shaped to fit closely adjacent the outer face of the sprocket 18 and act as a protective guard for the sprocket. While not shown, it is to be understood that additional provision may be made for mounting another circular counterweight in the space 28 around the inside face of the sprocket 18.

Fixed centrally on the tractor 10 to the underside of thetransmission housing 12 and between the final drive housings 14 is a counterweight 30.. The counterweight 30, for simplicity, is shown as a composite weight made up of superposed, upper and lower plates 32 and 34',

respectively, which are generally rectangular in plan view, it being understood that a different number of plates as well as plates of different dimensions may be provided as desired and/or as dictated by the shape of the tractor involved. The tractor 10 is a known type havinga transverse pivot shaft 36 just forwardly of the drive sprockets l8 interconnecting track support frames (not shown) at the opposite sides of the tractor. A pair of vertically spaced ears 38 are fixed to and extend rearwardly from the middle of the shaft 36. The forward end of the lower plate 34is' received between the ears 38 and is secured thereto by a connection pin 40 which extends through aligned apertures in the ears and the plate. The plates 32 and 34 are supported adjacent the rear of the tractor 10 by a rectangular crossbar 42 which is secured to the transmission housing 12 by a pair of transversely spaced screws 43. At the opposite sides of the plates 32 and 34 are outwardly extending ears 44' and 46, respectively, which have forwardly opening notches 48 engaged with the screws 38. Thus, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 1, the ears 44 and 46 are securely sandwiched between the heads of the screws 38 and the bottom of the transmission housing 10 when the screws are drawn tight.

The opposite sides of theplates 32 and 34 converge rearwardly from the housing 12 to form a drawbar hitch 50 including an upper apertured ear 52 affixed to the plate 32 and a lower apertured ear 54 affixed to the plate 34. It is to be noted that pulling forces on the hitch 50 act almost entirely through the bottom plate 34, the connection pin 40, the ears 38 and thence through the shaft 36.

Thus; it will be appreciated that the counterweights 26 connected to the outer faces of-the sprockets l8 and the counterweight 30 connectedto the underside of the transmission housing 12 cooperate asa counterweight system which functions also as guards for the drive sprocket 18 and the underside of the transmission housing 12 and as a drawbar.

The operation of the counterweights is thought to be obvious from the above description with further remarks that it is to be understood that the sprocketmounted counterweights can be used alone or in com bination with the central counterweight; Also, the places of attachment of the counterweights are spaces on the tractor l0 which are normally unused;

I claim:

LII

a pair of circular counterweights and common fastener means respectively securing said pair of counterweights to the outer faces of said pair of drive sprockets and respectively securing said pair of drive sprockets to said pair of hubs. 

1. In a track laying tractor of the type having a rear centrally disposed transmission housing, final drive housings disposed on the opposite sides of and depending from the transmission housing, a pair of final drive shafts respectively located in said final drive housings and respectively terminating in a pair of hubs, the improvement comprising: a pair of track drive sprockets, a pair of circular counterweights and common fastener means respectively securing said pair of counterweights to the outer faces of said pair of drive sprockets and respectively securing said pair oF drive sprockets to said pair of hubs. 